WIC's 'White Elephant' still annual bazaar's favorite

WIC's 'White Elephant' still annual bazaar's favorite

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As one of the most anticipated annual events, the two-day 38th
Women's International Club (WIC)'s bazaar is an oasis for those
who are looking for inexpensive, high quality goods from all over
the world.

Opened on Wednesday by Vice President Jusuf Kalla's wife,
Mufidah (center), the bazaar's visitors -- mostly by invitation
-- were taken on tour to see the 34 stands from foreign
embassies, 200 business stalls and charity stalls as well as
WIC's own stand by bazaar committee chairwoman Rita Pusponegoro
(left).

The favorite is the White Elephant stand, famous for its
secondhand goods donated by the members.

"We have been sorting through the goods for the sale since
February ... When the bazaar is open to the public tomorrow, this
stand will be the busiest one," said White Elephant supervisor
Elmira Bambang.

The 55-year-old WIC is a non-profit organization, known for
its programs and activities to raise funds for charitable
foundations.

The proceeds of the bazaar, put together with donations from
WIC members, foreign representatives and the public go to the
organization's scholarship programs and other humanitarian
projects selected by the Bazaar Proceeds Committee.

The committee consists of WIC members and the wives of
ambassadors as the organization's honorary members.

This year, the committee was led by former WIC president Siti
Bambang Utoyo, Enid Humfrey of Great Britain, Fatimah Awad of
Palestine, Linda Rasam of Suriname and Win Win Nyunt of Myanmar.

The committee has proposed that the fund be used to renovate
and refurbish school buildings for the poor and students with
disabilities in addition to providing wheelchairs, artificial
arms, heart pacemakers and eye surgery for the needy.

"We are grateful to Jakarta people for supporting us in
raising money to help the needy in our community," WIC president
Nancy WR Fatwan said. The WIC bazaar is open from 9 a.m. to 8
p.m. on Thursday, with entrance tickets at Rp 5,000.